Connector



Dec. 7, 1943. A.J.H1XON 2,336,115

CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 21, 1941 wiflllilm W,

Bylined eIHLrqn,

zii/L7 M ZM@ Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE coNNEoTR Alfred J. Hixon, Braintree, llt/Ias'.' Application August v21, 1941, serial No'. 46%,7'59' 1o claims. (o1. 173-269) My invention relates to connectors, particularly those for cables and' similar conductors, and constitutes an improvement in' the connector forming the subject matter of my Patent No. 2,159,153, issued May 23, 1939.

The invention, which has among its objects"A embodying a connector according to the inverny tion;

Figs. 2 and 3 are left hand and right han'd end elevations, respectively, of the terminal lug according to Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are a side elevation and plan,fre spectively, of the terminal lugaccording to Fig; 1 with the outer member for operating the cable gripper removed;

` Fig. 6 is a section o n the line 6 5 of Fig. 1, this section line also being applied to Fig. 4 for convenience in following the drawing;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 with the parts in a different operative position;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig".` 6, this section line also being applied to Fig. 1 fr convenience in following the drawing;

Fig. 9 is a section'on the line 9-9 of Fig, 7, and corresponds to Fig. 8 with the parts in a different operative position;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the parts shown by Fig. 4 with the cable gripper omitted;` a's Viewed from the right in Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line lI--II ofFig. 4 with the cable gripper omitted;

Fig. 12 is an isometric View of theparts shown by Fig. 4 with the cable gripper omitted;

Fig. 13 is an isometric view, `with parts broken away, of that part of the'terminal lug accord" ing to Fig. 1 which provides the outer sleeve; and

Fig. 14 is an isometric view of the cable gripthe termina mg which prairies is adapted to be inserted in the bore I5 of the sleeve I3 and the aligned bore I'I surrounded by the ange 5 and cylindrical bearing surface 9. Conveniently these bores are roughened as, for

example, tapping them to form lscrewthreads so as better to contact with and grip the cable.

The cable gripper operatingmember com-V prises a sleeve I9 provided at Aone end thereof with a nut 2l. As shown, the part I9, 2I is formed with aninternal bore 2 3 rotatably mounted on the sleeve I3 and with a coaxial bore 25 rotatably mounted on the bearing surface 9. For securing the part I9, 2I Vin assernloled relation with the sleeve` I3 the nut 2I at its outer end is formed with a frus'to-conical recess 2'I of slight taper, the outer endof the sleeve I3 being eX- panded after th e part I9 2 I isplaced over the sleeve I3 to iorrn a portion 29 contacting the walls of this recess.

As shown, the partof `the member I9, V2I between the coaxial bores 23 Aandn25 thereof is formed to provide an internal cylindrical eccentric surface 3l of larger diameter than thejsleeve I3, the shoulder ZjLbetween the eccentric lsur;-4 face and the bore 25 abutting thej shoulder INI of the other member. As shown, the' sleeve I3 has an exterior projecting lug 33 surrounded by the eccentric surface 3|. This lug is shapedto provdeon itsI outer end apair of surfaces 35, oneof which latter'is adapted tocontact the eccentric surface 3|wh'en the outer sleeve'l I9 is rotated into' the position shown byFig. 8 and' theother of which is adapted toI contact said surface when the'outer sleeve' I9l is rotated counterclo'ekwise i dans l112, tjrformgm ffect part or, thse: open;

ings' As -is clear from'Fig'. 4, each opening, as"

from the drawing, has a cross-section adapting it to t the opening 31 of the inner sleeve, while the smaller end 49 has a cross-section adapting it to t the opening SEL-thereof. The'opposite end surfaces 5I and 53`of the cable gripper are rounded approximately to conform to the eccentric surface 3| thereof so that when the outer sleeve I9 is roat diametrically opposite portions tated alternately in opposite directions the cable gripper will be reciprocated transversely of the bore I5 of the inner sleeve. During this reciprocatory motion the cable gripper is guided by the Walls of the openings 31 and 39 and those of the grooves 4I and 42.

When the cable gripper is in the position shown by Figs. 6 and 8, the convex surface 45 of the cable gripper, which is of the same radius as theV cable receiving bore I5 of the sleeve I3, will be tially rectilinear movement on the part having coaxial with said bore, and thus will permit a cable to be inserted in the bores I5 and I1, the eccentric surface 3| then being against one of the stop surfaces to insure this alignment of theV surface of the cable gripper and the surface of the' bore I5. By means of the nut 2l the outer sleeve may then be rotated to force the cable gripper into rm engagement with the cable. The maximum displacement of the cable Y gripper occurs when the eccentric has been rotated from the position of parts shown by Fig. 8 to the position of parts shown by Fig. 9, in which latter position the eccentric surface 3l is against It will be observed that in the present construction the cable contacts with only the cable gripper and inner walls of the bores I5 vandA I1,

and that therefore twisting ofthe cable has no tendency whatsoever to rotate the eccentric face SIVand release the cable. f

`It will be understood that, within 'the-scope of the appended claims, wide deviations vmay be made from the form ofthe invention herein described without departing from the spirit of the.

invention.

I claim: Y

1. A cable connector having, in combination, an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve and rotatably mounted thereon, the

inner sleeve having opposite transverse openings in the wall thereof,` acable4 gripper extending through said openings for reciprocal movement transversely of saidinner sleevethe outer sleeve being formed with aninternal cylindrical surfacev Yeccentric tol the aXis of rotation thereof, surrounding said inner sleeve and gripper and contactingwith oppositevends of the latter Vwhereby rotation of said outer sleeve in one vdirection will cause said gripper to grip al cable and lock the E gripper in cable grippingposition and rotation surin the opposite direction, will cause said gripper to release the cable, saideccentric surfacebeing of greater diameter'thanthat portion of saidin-l ner sleeve which it surrounds, the inner sleeve having exterior surface portions adapted to contact with said eccentric surface to act as stops for said outer sleeve to determine the opposite ends of its travel and that of said gripper.

2. A cable connector'having, in combination, a pair of relatively coaxially rotatable parts, one at least of which is formed with an opening to receive a cable, one of said parts being formed with an interior cylindrical surface eccentric to the axis of relative rotation of said parts, the other of said parts having means surrounded by said cylindrical surface adapted to contact therewith to act as stops for determining the limits of relative rotation of said parts in opposite directions, a cable gripper mounted for movement transversely of said opening and positioned for gripping and releasing by such movement a cable received by said opening, `and means operated by relative rotation of said parts for so moving said gripper.

3. A cable connecter according to claim 2 in which the cable gripper is mounted for substanthe means acting as the stops.

` 4; A cable connector according to claim 2 in Which the cable gripper is an approximately C- shaped part adapted to embrace the cable, and is mounted for substantially rectilinear movement on the part having the stop means.

5. A cable connector having, in combination,

an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve and rotatably mounted thereon,the inner sleeve havingvopposite transverse openings in the wall thereof, a Vcable gripper extending through said openings for reciprocal movement transversely of said inner sleeve, the outer sleeve beingY formed with an internal surface portion acting von the gripper and shaped for moving it in one direction when said sleeves are relatively rotated in one direction, said inner sleeve having exterior stop means cooperating with said internal surface portion for determining the limit of rotation of said outer sleeve relative to said inner sleeve in that direction.

- 6. A cable connector having, in combination, a pair of relatively coaxially rotatable parts, one atleast of which is formed with an opening to receive a cable, one of said parts being formed with an interior surface portion and the other having stop 'means cooperating with said portion for determining the limit of relative rotation of said parts inY one direction, a cable gripper mounted for movementA transversely of Asaid opening and positioned for gripping and releasing by such movementa cable received by said opening,v said gripper having a position cooperating with said interior surface portion, which latter is'sorshaped as -to so moveV said gripper when said parts areV relatively rotated in one direction. Y

. 7.' Acable gripper according to claim 6in which the cable gripper ispmounted Vfor substantially` rectilinear .movement on .thepart having the stop partadapted'to embrace the cable, and is mounty ed for' substantially rectilinear movement on the part having the stop means. Y

9. A cablev connector having, in combination,

a part'having an opening for receiving a cable, y' a cable gripper having opposite relatively parallel exterior side walls mounted in an open ended opening formed in said part, v*which opening has Y opposite relatively parallel interior Walls cooperating with said exterior walls of said gripper for guiding the latter for rectilinear movement transversely of said part for gripping and releasing a cable, a second part rotatably surrounding said 5 rst part and gripper and having interior cam surfaces cooperating with opposite end portions of said gripper exterior of said first part for reciprocating said gripper when said part-s are relatively rotated in opposite directions.

10. A cable connector according to claim 9 in which the gripper is an approximately C-shaped part adapted to embrace the cable.

ALFRED J. HIXON 

